The object of our recent essay contest, Brazil, inspired a number of travelers to put their impressions and ideas into words — and, from the submissions we received, it was apparent there was a lot of material to work with. ITN staff felt that three of the essays were standouts, and leading the pack was the work of PHILIP SHART of Tamarac, Florida, who will receive a 3-year extension to his subscription to ITN (or he can pass his prize along to friends). In second place was the essay of...

We have an essay contest in play at all times, and, for the time being, we’re running through the topics chosen by the late Armond Noble, ITN’s founder and original publisher, as listed in his November 2010 “Departure Lounge” column. Armond was one for alliteration, so he couldn’t resist asking subscribers to write on “The Amazing Amazon.” 

ITN staff — with consistently widely divergent opinions — graded the many essays received on that topic, and the results turned out as follows....

When travelers are asked to express what impressed or inspired them about a particular country, it’s not surprising that they write detailed descriptions of specific experiences, but it turns out that Kenya is a country about which the memories are especially vivid — a place offering out-of-your-ordinary-environment experiences. All of the essays submitted painted wonderful pictures in words, but ITN staff judged the works of three subscribers to stand out above the rest because they each...